While the S&P/TSX Composite has been on a blazing rally since July, the best returns for active investment managers have come from the less-closely-watched small cap equity space, according to Russell Investments. The median small-cap manager has posted a return of 12.7%, beating the median large-cap manager by 280 basis points, according to the latest […]
Mutual funds were back in vogue in October, as the Canadian industry attracted between $1.1 billion and $1.6 billion in net sales, according to the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC). Much of the enthusiasm can be attributed to surging market returns, says Jon Cockerline, director of policy, dealer issues, at IFIC. “[This] has been […]
Canadian mutual fund investors chalked up another strong month in October, at least in their equity exposures, according to data compiled by Morningstar Canada. All eyes were on the U.S. Federal Reserve, which is expected to introduce a second round of quantitative easing on November 3. The expectation of additional stimulus drove global markets higher. […]
In September, members of the Institute of Advanced Financial Planning met in Banff, Alberta to consider its annual case study. This year’s case study involved a client everyone could identify with.
If you think the current low-growth/low-rate environment is hard on clients in their accumulation phase of life, think about what it means to retirees. Traditionally, retirees could count on interest payments from bonds to fund their retirement, but short-terms interest rates have been in the toilet for over a decade now, leaving few new opportunities […]
Despite the stress of managing other people’s finances and the ever-increasing regulatory burden, there is a common refrain we hear from advisors: Working in financial services is the best career in the world. The latest Best Employers studies from Aon Hewitt appears to support that enthusiasm. Of the top 50 employers, 16 were in some […]
It is the cornerstone of every successful relationship, whether it’s with your spouse, your doctor or your client. So why aren’t all advisors masters at building trust? “Trust is cumulative; it is not built in a day, it is built over time,” said Joe Calabrese, president of Harris myCFO, speaking at the Strategy Institute’s 12th […]
CI Financial has struck a deal to purchase Hartford Investments, the Canadian mutual fund operations of U.S. fund giant, The Hartford Financial Services Group. “Hartford Investments has been one of Canada’s fastest-growing mutual fund companies over the past five years, having developed a strong lineup of portfolio managers and excellent relationships with dealers and advisors,” […]
The Canadian mutual fund industry is widely regarded as a mature market, where growth in market-share comes slowly, if at all. If you’re rolling out a new lineup, you’d better have an ace up your sleeve. In the case of the newest entrant, Sun Life Global Investments, a career sales force might do the trick. […]
You may have noticed that your small business-owner clients have remained upbeat during the recession — and you probably weren’t alone. It turns out that less than half of small businesses felt a negative impact from the downturn, according to a poll by RBC. Only 36% of entrepreneurs said the recession had a negative impact […]